Your Part

In Colossians 1, we find this passage:

… We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father.  He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:9-14, NLT)

These verses are part of a prayer Paul prayed for them. The first part is the requests he made to God on their behalf. The second part is praise and thankfulness for what God has done for them.

This prayer helps you understand what to pray for.

First you should be asking to know God’s will for your life – along with spiritual wisdom and understanding. What does He want you to be doing right now, right where you are? And, what direction does He want you to head?

When you know this – and follow it – your life will honor and please God. And as you get to know Him better, you will keep growing!

Second, you need to ask for God’s glorious power to strengthen you to give you endurance and patience.

Your life with Jesus is a marathon, not a sprint. You are in it for the long haul. There will be times when you feel tired, discouraged, and beat up. You may even feel like giving up. Know that God will give you strength through His power to keep you moving.

When life gets tough, learn to focus on God rather than on the problems. The problems may not magically disappear, but you will find strength and courage to deal with them.

And third, you need to recognize where you have come from and where you are headed. This will bring you joy and thankfulness!

You used to be part of the kingdom of darkness – this was before you came to know Jesus. When you came to Him, He rescued you by purchasing your freedom (with His death), forgave your sins, and transferred you into His Kingdom.

You are where you are at because of God’s gift. And you will continue to grow as a result of God’s gift of spiritual wisdom, understanding, and power.

It is God’s gift from beginning to end. The only place it happens is when you stay close to God.

That’s your part – keep coming to God and staying with Him. He’ll keep you growing and moving in the right direction.

Keep doing your part – keep coming to God!